The present invention relates to a farm implement. More particularly, the present invention relates to a farm implement that fractures a crust on soil.
A typical method of preparing a field for planting crops includes using a moldboard plow or a chisel plow to work the ground after a harvest to bury crop residue and other debris in the soil. The following spring a seed bed is prepared in the field by tilling the soil and thereby loosening the soil, breaking up clumps of dirt and also leveling the surface. After the seed bed is prepared the crops are planted, typically in rows.
Another method of planting crops includes a “no-till” method. Using a no-till method includes leaving the soil unworked from the previous season with the crop residue or debris remaining on the surface of the field. Prior to planting the crop, the soil is tilled, typically with a tandem disc implement to cut the debris and prepare the seed bed. The crops are planted into the soil through the debris where the debris aids in preventing erosion.
A hazardous time for the seedlings occurs when a rain falls on the seed bed and creates a crust. If the crust is sufficiently thick, the seedlings may not be able to penetrate the crust and may subsequently die in the ground. If the seedlings is able to penetrate the crust, fine soil particles on top of the crust may be blown by the wind which may also harm the seedlings.
Typical farm implements that have been used to fracture the crust on a recently planted field include a rotary hoe. A rotary hoe includes a number of discs that have teeth around the perimeter. The teeth have at least one concave surface and another surface that typically form a point at a distal end. As the discs rotate the point and the concave surface penetrate, fracture and lift the crust such that if the seedlings find the penetrated, fractured and lifted crust, they are able to emerge to the surface. The rotary hoe also creates an uneven surface such that the fine particles are not blown into the seedlings.
However as the teeth rotate out of the soil, the concave surface has a tendency of carrying debris such as stocks or other crop residue, sticks, wire and/or rocks out of the soil and into an entanglement with other discs. The entanglement of the debris with the discs causes the discs to stop rotating and cease effectively breaking the crust. To remove the entanglement, the farmer must stop the tractor used to tow the rotary how, and manually remove the entanglement. Having to stop the tractor causes the farmer to use more time than necessary to work the field and thereby causes inefficencies.